Patent GB-1220198-A (GB)
Title: Feed mechanism for feeding and orientating workpieces having a non-rectilinear periphery
Inventor: KAMBORIAN JACOB SIMON JR
IPC: A43D8/10
Filed: 1969-08-11
Abstract: 1,220,198. Boots &c. J. S. KAMBORIAN, Jnr. 11 Aug., 1969 [14 Aug., 1968], No. 40045/69. Heading A3B. A machine for applying a rib strip to an insole I includes a feed mechanism 26 (Fig. 1) for feeding the insole through a working station where the rib is applied to the insole along a line of application 42 (Fig. 25), sensing means which contacts the periphery of the insole in advance of the line of application 42 and means for turning the insole I about a pivot point P in response to the sensing means to ensure that the periphery of the insole I is parallel to the direction of feed 40 as it moves through the working station. As described a strip coated on one side with thermoplastic adhesive is fed from a reel 638 (Fig. 1) through a channel in a block 608 which progressively folds the strip into a Z shape. The folded strip then passes a heater 644 which directs hot air into the fold to activate the adhesive so that when the strip passes between pressure rolls 616, 622 the strip is accurately folded and bonded to form the rib strip shown in Fig. 33. The rib strip then passes around a guide roller 689 and into a slot 264 in the feed mechanism 26 (Figs. 1, 3). From the slot 264 the strip passes between drive roll 266 and idler roll 274 (Fig. 3), through holes in knife blades 294, 296 and around feed roll 36 where the adhesive coated side of the strip is contacted by a heater block 350. The strip is then pressed against the insole I (Fig. 33) which passes between the feed roll 36 and a frusto-conical idler roll 38. The surface of the feed roll 36 is formed in three parts:- a section having teeth 370 which grips and feeds the insole and strip; a recess 388 to accommodate the rib and a smooth section 386 which allows the strip and insole to slip with respect to the roll 36 when the insole is turned about pivot point P (formed by the toothed section) by the insole orientating means. The frusto-conical shape of the idler roll 38 exerts a clockwise (as seen in Fig. 25) torque on the insole I. The sensing means consists of an edge gauge 44 (Figs. 1, 25) which contacts the periphery of the insole I in advance of the line of attachment 42, movement of the edge gauge 44 in a left/right direction (as seen in Fig. 25) causing operation of a pair of valves (not shown) which control the movement of thrusters 120, 122 along a closed path 118. When the insole is in position I<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 25) the edge gauge 44 moves to the right as the insole is advanced, thus causing the thrusters 120, 122 to move anticlockwise to turn the insole about pivot point P to its correct position I in which the periphery of the insole is parallel to the direction of feed 40. When the insole is in position I<SP>11</SP> the edge gauge 44 moves to the left as the insole is advanced, thus causing the thrusters 120, 122 to move clockwise away from the insole to allow the insole to be turned clockwise about the pivot point P by the action of the edge gauge 44 engaging the periphery of the insole and the clockwise torque exerted by the frusto-conical idler roll 38. The clockwise movement of the insole continues until the insole reaches its correct position I where it is again engaged by one of the thrusters 120, 122. Thus it will be seen that, with the edge gauge 44 in a fixed position, the insole will be automatically guided as it moves past the feed roll 36 so that the rib is applied to the insole at a constant distance from and parallel to the periphery of the insole. The position of the edge gauge 44 may be adjusted during the machine cycle by the action of a timing cam 392 (Fig. 1) to vary the spacing between the rib and the periphery of the insole, e.g. the spacing may be at its greatest in the waist region and be reduced in the forepart region of the insole. The machine has an automatic pneumatic control circuit which causes, at the appropriate time in the machine cycle, the strips to be clamped between lugs 284, 286 (Fig. 3) and at the same time operates knives 294, 296 to sever the strips. The severed end of the strip is advanced from between the knives 294, 296 to the feed roll 36 at the beginning of the next machine cycle before the next insole is presented to the machine. The strip feeding and controlling mechanism 26 is mounted on a head 16 which can be moved about pivot 18 by an air motor 25 (Fig. 1) to allow the insole to be inserted between the feed roll 36 and idler roll 38.